


Trouble In The Promised Land

by AJFawxe



Series: Trouble In The Promised Land [1]
Category: Splatoon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-09-21
Packaged: 2019-06-19 20:14:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15517731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AJFawxe/pseuds/AJFawxe
Summary: Over time I plan to tell you a unique story of how people with unpleasant pasts come together and unite with others more fortunate than them. This will be a tale of intrigue. Our party will overcome many obstacles and slowly unravel the mysteries that surround them.Sometimes, however, in our search for understanding, we learn things about ourselves and others that we'd rather not know. Is ignorance bliss? Does the truth set you free? Perhaps that's a question we need to answer for ourselves.





	1. Opening ~ The Too Familiar Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we meet Agent 8, still struggling with her lost memories and dealing with the aftermath of the battle against Tartar. Using the name Alaina, she tries to make an identity for herself. Helping her is a fellow octoling named Aurora. Although things may not be all warm coffee and splatfests as Alaina may have hoped. An unwelcome intrusion from Agent 3 cuts a pleasant breakfast short.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an opening/teaser for an original story I'm working on. Please enjoy this little taste of what I have in store.

Alaina  
Codename: Agent 8 

Agent 8 found herself thrust suddenly into the waking world as she did many mornings. It was rare that she slept soundly through the night, or felt fully rested in the morning. Her dreams circulated around the fractured bits of memory from the time before she heard the Inkantation, and the harrowing events that followed during her journey to the surface. Every morning 8 felt the chill of those dark tunnels follow her into the waking world for a few brief moments.

The young octoling felt the chill this morning too, and she shivered despite the fact that she was in a warm bed, sunlight just starting to break through her window.

 _'Alaina,'_ she reminded herself, _'I'm not just some octoling that got roped into that Squidbeak deal. I'm not an agent or a number. I'm my own person.'_

Still, it was nice of those Squidbeak people to set her up with this apartment. She would never have guessed that two major pop idols were part of a clandestine militia, but she wasn't going to complain. Cuttlefish had played a big part in getting her out, as did Pearl and Marina. If not for Agent 3, though... 

Agent 8 closed her eyes tight and willed the thought from her mind. _'Just get out of bed and start your day,'_ she told herself. 

The weary cephalopod felt particularly tired this morning. Reaching the edge of her warm, comfy bed felt like a mile's journey. The stretch of floor separating her from her bedroom door might as well have been an ocean. The outside world sat somewhere off in the distance, a spot on the horizon. 

_'Just get up,'_ Alaina told herself, willing her body to move despite her own objections. The octoling pulled herself into a sitting position, out of her bed's bittersweet embrace. Grabbing her phone from her nightstand she made her way to the bathroom, grabbing clothes as she went. 

Alaina kept herself in good shape despite all the temptations that came with the somewhat decadent inkling lifestyle. She stepped into a pair of leggings and slid them up over her hips. A graphic tee slid over her modest chest settling at her toned midriff. The octoling played with her pinkish hair as she got to the mirror, fumbling with her phone as she got her tentacles where she wanted them. 

She unlocked her phone and found she had a voicemail already. She knew who it was before she clicked on it. Setting the phone down she set to brushing her teeth as the voicemail played. 

_"Hey, it's me, Aurora. I didn't really expect you to be up. I just.. heck.."_ there was the sound of rustling in the background. _"Sorry, just call me when you're up, we should do coffee. It's been a while. Alright, I-WILL YOU JUST?-uh, bye."_

Aurora's voicemail played like most every other voicemail she left. That octoling couldn't keep a conversation once she had something in front of her, and she liked to stay busy with one thing or another. According to Pearl and Marina, Aurora is the only person who seems fine with spending all day with Sheldon. With Sheldon being the weapon designer, Alaina wasn't shocked. His workspace is pretty expansive and his tools are better quality than the piecemeal kit that Aurora put together in the Metro. 

Aurora didn't talk much about what she did when they were still working with the Octarians, but she said she helped put the finishing touches on some bleeding edge tech. Alaina had initially felt a pang of jealousy that Aurora had all her memories, but as time went on she began to think that Aurora envied her for not having any memories before the Metro. 

Alaina stared at her phone for a moment before pressing the 'Call Back’ button on the voicemail. She thought she might end up in a game of phone tag when Aurora picked up at the last second. 

"Alaina! Hey! I'm so happy you called back I-,” the word trailed off into a mumble about an algorithm. Alaina cleared her throat purposefully into the receiver and Aurora snapped back to attention. “I-ah, as I was saying, I was about to set down my work and get some coffee from that cafe just off the Square. Wanna join?” 

"Kah’fee N Swee’tz? Sounds like a plan. Are you leaving now?” Alaina arched her brow despite the fact that Aurora couldn't see her. 

Aurora cursed softly as something fell and she gave an exasperated sigh. “I am literally dropping everything right now so I'll be out the door soon.” 

Alaina sighed softly to herself. _'I should still probably take my time,’_ she thought to herself. Alaina finished getting ready, slipping on her punk blacks and grabbing her Takoroka Nylon to keep warm. 

The square was still pretty full, despite the early hour. Inklings kept weird schedules, though the Splatfest coming up probably didn't help much. A week of practice and getting the right gear put together for twenty-four hours of turf war over a trivial difference of opinion. This time it was over orange juice. If nothing else, you could always say that Inklings were unique people. 

Alaina joined in to support orange juice with pulp at the urging of Marina. Their conversations were nice, and having a fellow Octoling to help with learning Inkling culture was great. Marina didn't agree with choosing Team Pulp, but she was happy that Alaina was joining in the event. 

"Yo! Earth to Alaina! You gonna keep drifting away space cadet?” 

Alaina blinked, realizing she'd been daydreaming and nearly passed the cafe. More startlingly, it looked like Aurora was there before her, keeping warm in a white and blue mountain coat. 

Aurora was the same pale, wisp of a girl she had always been, but no matter how many times they saw one another Alaina was still amazed by her hair. Four paled turquoise tentacles that went down to her lower back, tucked back and banded neatly at multiple points to form one long octotail. Aurora mentioned that she made them grow out to remind her she was free. Alaina couldn't remember the significance, but other octolings always seemed to have a quiet sort of admiration and respect for her. 

“I was gonna walk the block since fashionably late is usually your thing.” Alaina smiled warmly at her friend as she strolled up to the cafe. 

"Harr harr, you wanted me up and moving, so here I am.” Aurora reached out and squeezed Alaina's arm gently, a special greeting she practiced with those she was close to, and they went inside. 

The cafe was buzzing with cephalopods and even some jellyfish resting up, hot cups of coffee and tea reinvigorating tired souls as the morning dragged on. Some would be testing their mettle in matches, others would be waiting for Mr. Grizz to open up the doors and send them off to collect eggs. Some, however, would be relaxing with friends as the two lady octos were. 

They sat down and were greeted with a small platter of baked goods while their drinks were prepared. The staff here was always so nice to everyone, and they hardly batted an eye when the octolings started showing up in Inkopolis. 

"So,” Aurora started, letting her coat hang on the back of her chair, “I hear you're joining the splatfest.” She bit into a danish and arched a brow inquisitively. 

“Look, Marina swears it's nothing, and I trust her.” Alaina waved her hand dismissively at the comment. 

"She is definitely a good person. Very trustworthy. Makes it that much more tragic that you sided with MC Training Wheels.” 

“I tried the orange juice both ways and I liked the pulp.” 

"Whatever you gotta tell yourself, girl.” 

Alaina leaned back and smiled at her blue-haired companion. “You and your amateur brush skills gonna teach me a lesson for siding against Marina?” 

The waitress dropped off their coffees as Aurora gave an overly dramatic look of offense. “What a vicious attack. I might just have to join the fray and give you what for.” Aurora went to take a sip of her coffee then paused with her cup at her mouth. Something by the door had caught her eye. 

The moment Alaina turned around she knew what, or more to the point, who, it was. Their hair had been orange the first time they'd met and it was still orange in her dreams. Other than their now green tinted yellow hair, however, everything else about them was the same. This was the girl she never saw or spoke to; she only warred with her in her mind. 

They locked eyes as Agent 8 took a long sip from her coffee. Within moments, Agent 3 stood across from them. The inkling sighed deeply, her face awash with concern. “I need to talk to you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you've seen, the story will generally coincide with the timeline of the game. The story proper will begin with an important revelation that Agent 3 will give to Agent 8. From there, they, along with some other familiar and some, perhaps, not so familiar faces, will be caught up in a mysterious plot.
> 
> Along the way, the party will have to deal with their pasts, who they are trying to become, and how this journey affects them now.


	2. Act 1/Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we are introduced to Agent 3: Lou'nna. These two young ladies will soon learn there is a new mystery afoot and work ahead of them.

Act 1: New Unpleasantness And Old Wounds 

_Aurora_

_The cafe had been very busy, but it all seemed smaller and safer with the bulk of the cafe in front of her. Their usual table put everything in view, and that made it easier for her to notice the arrival of a familiar face. Aurora knew this face too well. She had heard stories of Agent 3 while she was with the Octarians and seen the infamous Inkling numerous times since. Unlike some others, though, she knew the truth from the legend._

_Some in the Octarian ranks believed her an unkillable monster or a wrathful god reborn as one of the Inkling menace. Aurora knew better. She had seen this supposed god bleed. Although 3 was definitely mortal, she was an impressive combatant. It never stopped worrying Aurora that this elite soldier walked amongst them, no supervision or accountability outside of her friends and compatriots._

_Lou’nna_  
Codename: Agent 3 

Lou’nna hated running into Aurora. It usually wasn't a problem since the blue-haired octo kept to herself. She was always tinkering with things alone in Sheldon's workshop, only rarely leaving to visit one or two octos. Her closest friend was, unfortunately, the person she sought today; Alaina. Lou knew that neither of them felt entirely comfortable, but Aurora always seemed to be looking _into_ her. It was as if her very gaze was burning holes straight down to her core. 

It didn't matter, this wasn't about socializing, after all. There was a serious matter at hand and no clue where to start. Taking a deep breath the inkling walked meaningfully over to the two octos. She made a point to lock eyes with Agent 8, Alaina. Alaina had a very cautious, bordering suspicious expression, but it was more pleasant than the piercing gaze Aurora was fixing her with. 

Sighing deeply, she steadied herself. “I need to talk to you.” The words came out laced with anxiety. Lou couldn't help it, not when she knew what news she was bringing. The inkling could have sworn she could still feel Aurora's gaze on her, but when she chanced a look the octoling seemed to be avoiding eye contact. The blue octo was looking pointedly across the cafe at nothing in particular. 

Facing back towards Agent 8, she could see that Alaina had heard, but was trying not to hurry. A pang of guilt resonated within her. Agent 3 knew how life in the Splatoon consumed you, but for Agent 8, it was a barrier keeping her from a normal life. Something she probably never had. 

Alaina grabbed a fritter and sighed deeply. ”I'm starting to think Cuttlefish is only sending for me when he knows I'm trying to enjoy myself.” 

There was a quiet sound of assent from Aurora who seemed to now be not quite looking at Lou. The inkling was yet again struck with curiosity. Alaina always seemed untrusting towards her, but Aurora seemed nearly hostile at times. Lou didn't suspect she had much to worry about. Aurora wasn't particularly skilled with any weapons, but somehow she still seemed dangerous. 

_Why are you always like this? Did we meet under bad terms at some point? What's going on in your head?_ The usual questions circled around in her head, but she was saved when she realized that Alaina was heading towards the door. 

Aurora bid a fond farewell to her friend then looked at Lou with a somewhat neutral expression. Without a word, she pushed the basket of pastries towards her and turned away. It caught Lou off guard and she stood dumbstruck for a moment. Getting her wits about her she grabbed a danish. 

”Thanks, Aurora,” she spoke as sincerely as possible. Aurora simply nodded softly and waved her off in response. 

Lou went running out of the cafe after Alaina and nearly collided with her right on the other side of the door. 

”Careful there,” Alaina said, holding up a hand to keep Lou from running into her. It took the pink haired octo a moment to realize what was in her hand. “Did you have to fight her for the danish?” 

Lou’nna chuckled softly and shook her head. “Actually she gave it to me.” The inkling took a bite of the danish. 

”Gave it, or let you take it?” Alaina quirked a brow. 

Swallowing the mouthful of pastry she put up her hands. “Alright, technically she _let me_ have it, but she did push the basket to me.” 

Lou’nna thought she caught a ghost of a smile on Alaina’s face as she started heading towards the square. It was the usual path to the grate that would permit them access to the secret routes. Routes that Lou knew well, but Alaina was only just getting used to. Agent 3 looked to her fellow agent and saw her going over the path in her head as they turned off the main streets. 

Lou would have loved to have met at Cuttlefish Cabin, but they hadn't moved Octavio yet. It took Lou a couple visits to notice, but Octavio looked at Alaina with a sort of familiarity. It was unsettling, to say the least, but it made things all the more difficult when Alaina started staring at him. Lou could see those locked up gears trying to turn. Memories trying to rise to the surface. 

Perhaps what scared 3 the most was that Alaina might be taken into some foul plan. She, better than anyone, knew that Alaina was strong, but how strong? Was her will strong enough if Octavio leaned hard on her? Or worse, used some mind control device? It wasn't a risk they were willing to take. Octavio never stopped scheming, and Agent 8 would be a dangerous ally to him. 

They arrived on a deserted stretch of pavement, a network of cracks providing a home to grass and weeds. The pavement led up to a large expanse of packed dirt that the wild was having an easier time invading. Lou had scouted the area weeks ago and found an old metal sign that had been worn with age. Characters were missing from the sign, but what was left read “//HES////PE//K// //OU////Y F////RGR//UN//S” The shapes of the characters were somewhat familiar to her. Sadly, though an effort was constantly being put into deciphering Human artifacts, this was probably beyond saving. That hadn't stopped her from taking a picture of it and moving it into a small building to protect it from the elements. 

Lou’nna watched as Alaina stared in awe at the world around them. Inkopolis was a mass of steel and glass far off in the distance. Nature had long since reclaimed this place and the effects were a mixture of beauty and horror. Lou appreciated the beauty of the vibrant greens and reds, yellows and blues. The earthy warmth of tree bark was a nice contrast to the bright colors of the plant life. What broke up the beauty was the buildings. 

There were numerous buildings and stalls scattered about this stretch of dirt that were best described as dilapidated. A tree had grown up through a small shack whose door lied a stone's throw away. How it got there was a mystery lost to time. The sight unsettled Lou. It made her think of the end of the humans and the deterioration of their entire society and all of their accomplishments. It made her think of what kind of people came here, what they did. Maybe this had been a central point of their community and now it was lost to the slow destructive forces of nature and time. 

Alaina's face, on the other hand, told an entirely different story. Alaina seemed in shock and awe at their surroundings, enraptured by a beauty that Lou could only just barely appreciate. It made Lou happy to see Alaina so amazed and filled with joy. It made her feel like this job was finally giving something back to this lost and confused girl. 

”What? Why are you smiling at me like that?” Alaina was looking at Lou confused and perhaps a bit chagrined. 

It suddenly struck Lou’nna that she had been staring at Alaina with a smile plastered across her face. She blushed as embarrassment flooded through her. “I wasn't-I mean, I was. I was just thinking that you looked really relaxed and I never see you like that.” 

Alaina eyed her with a bit of a defensive look on her face. “Yeah, well, how often am I in a nice..” the pink haired Octoling trailed off, looking over the scene. “Nice.. quiet place like this.” 

”I never stopped to think you might not like the city. Then again, everyone I know was born in the city.” Lou'nna mused aloud, stopping as an idea struck her. “Hey, Alaina..” 

Alaina was poking around a stall, picking up bits of debris and small trinkets. “What is it, 3?” She turned and crossed her arms over her chest. 

”Do you think you were born out in Octo Valley?” 

”What?” Alaina seemed caught off guard. 

”You always seem tense in Inkopolis, but you just instantly relaxed once we got here.” Lou strolled over towards where Alaina was standing, dumbstruck. “Maybe some part of you remembers the kind of place you came from, you know? The familiarity makes you feel at ease, even though you don't consciously remember.” 

There was a flicker of recognition in Alaina's eyes and she turned away. “Maybe. I-I never thought of that. I'll have to bring that up with Aurora, she's been helping me out with this stuff. Thanks, Lou.” There was a look of genuine appreciation on her face as she looked back at Lou. 

”Where did you girls get off to?” The familiar voice rang out from the grate the two agents had arrived from. It was old, haggard, and decidedly male. 

”Just waiting for you old man!” Lou shouted back at the old Inkling waiting for them. 

Captain Craig Cuttlefish looked over towards the two cephalopods as they strolled back towards the sewer grate. “I keep telling you-you're going to regret picking at me for my age one day. I hope I'm still around when you get your first wrinkle, missy.” 

”Hah! Jokes on you Cuttlefish, I'm gonna be young and beautiful forever.” A crooked smile spread across Lou's face. 

”Everyone thinks that at some point. So, Agent 8, I guess Agent 3 explained the reason for the surprise call.” Craig arched a bushy brow her way. 

Lou'nna closed her eyes for a moment, cursing in her head. “Actually I was inquiring about some interesting news, but I'm certain it's a dead end. I can look into it later.” Lou looked to Alaina as smoothly and naturally as she could. 

Alaina gave her a knowing look then shifted her gaze back to Cuttlefish as he grumbled. 

”Alright, allow me then. Zapfish are disappearing again.” 

The air felt like it was getting thicker, and Alaina seemed to be feeling the same tension from the lump of nerves and worry she tried to swallow down. 

”Now, the Great Zapfish is fine,” the captain continued, “there's been a lot of added security to make sure nothing happens to the Great Zapfish and it's all been working. That is probably why smaller zapfish have been getting taken.” 

”How do we know they're being taken?” It was Alaina. “There could be a lot of things causing the number of zapfish to drop. Are you sure this is a safe assumption?” 

”A wise observation Agent 8,” Cuttlefish continued. “I tagged the zapfish that Agent 4 saved after Octavio's most recent escape. Some of them have gone missing as well. Not a single trace of them. That's how I know.” 

Alaina offered a nod of agreement to the captain. “I'm guessing you want us to check out Octo Valley?” 

”You two will assist Agent 4 in searching the outskirts of the valley. I have a few locations that have only just come to light. I'll need to get a better idea what's there before I invest too much in finding them. That's why Agent 2 is scouting them out. She's well seasoned in long-range observation and will let me know if the areas need further investigating.” 

Agent 2: Marie. Marie was a terror with a scoped charger. Nothing escaped her once her sights were on it. Agent 4 said Marie sniped the hypno-shades off Callie's face without hurting her. Amazing, but frightening. 

”Sounds easy,” Lou'nna remarked. 

”I hope you're right,” Alaina responded. 

”You and me both, Agent 8.” Cuttlefish hobbled a little closer to them. “Hopefully this is some small remnant of the Octarian forces we can quash. I can't imagine it's anything else.” 

Cuttlefish wouldn't say it, and neither would Lou, but they both knew it wasn't that simple. Something else was going on and they wouldn't find it in Octo Valley.

 _Alaina_  
Codename: Agent 8

_They were keeping things from her. Alaina couldn't explain how she could tell, but her intuition told her there was information they were holding onto. Lou was far too worried for it to be nothing. They started hiding things when she started looking at Octavio. Alaina knew instinctively that he was someone important, and the way he looked at her, she knew he knew her. One way or another she had to know what Octavio knew._

_What was this new deception, though? What were they holding onto about these zapfish? This was what really bothered her. Alaina couldn't help but feel that they were silently accusing her of something. What though? And why? She had to make a call. Much sooner than later, too._


End file.
